HCS HB 1393 -- MOTORCYCLE HELMETS

SPONSOR:  Dusenberg

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Special Committee on
Homeland Security by a vote of 8 to 0.

This substitute requires persons younger than 21 years of age to
wear protective headgear when operating or riding as a passenger
on any motorcycle or motortricycle on all Missouri roads.  The
substitute also requires all persons to wear protective headgear
when operating or riding as a passenger on a motorcycle or
motortricycle on any federal interstate highway.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2009, FY 2010, and
FY 2011.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill is an issue of freedom
and the right of adults to make their own choices.  Repealing the
helmet law will not result in the loss of any federal tax money.
Missouri can increase tax and business revenue by increasing the
number of riders that may otherwise avoid Missouri because of the
restrictive helmet law.  Economic studies estimate tourism
dollars will increase an additional $3 million by repealing the
helmet provisions.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Dusenberg; Freedom of
Road Riders; Terry Cook, American Motorcyclist Association; ABATE
for Missouri; Ann P. Jones; Terry Lee Cook; Dean A. Gunter; Mike
"Taz" Moeller; Dr. Michael H. and Martha Yoshida; Joseph T.
Bryan; William and Angela Claydon; John C. Stouffer; William
Kempker; John Jones; Phillip H. Speiser; Larry Jones; Robert J.
Hawkins; Dan Elbert; E. J. Haas; Donald Vandegriffe; and Gregory
L. Mellanix.

OPPONENTS:  Those who oppose the bill say that head injury is the
leading cause of death in motorcycle accidents and keeping the
helmet requirement protects Missouri lives.  While appropriate
headgear does not prevent every head injury, the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration reports that helmets are 67%
effective in preventing brain injuries.  Motorcycle riders are 37
times more likely to die in an accident than automobile drivers.
It has been proven that helmet laws increase helmet usage which
in turn saves lives and reduces head trauma injuries.

Testifying against the bill were Highway Safety Division,
Department of Transportation; Missouri Safety Council; Dale
Findlay, Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety; Eastern Missouri
Psychiatric Society; Missouri State Medical Association; Missouri
Hospital Association; Missouri College of Emergency Physicians;
Phil Wright, Missouri Safety Center; Missouri Nurses Association;
and Jodi Winegar, Property Casualty Insurers Association of
America.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated October 15, 2008 at 3:10 pm